Path to You
by sasukedude
Summary: The world of Naruto is painted in bloodshed and grief, but presenting a scenario in which the young generation can actually be given the chance to enjoy their childhood; their personalities still don't change, and neither does the responsibility.


**Path to you**

"_What's that? You want us to move?" _

"_Do you know who you're talking to freshman? I-"_

"_**THUD!"**_ Like a roaring thunderbolt the heavyset men collided with the stone pavement. A direct blow to the gut would send superman flying if that blow was delivered by Leaf City's resident monster. Lately he had been on hiatus, constantly moving from place to place in search of the family he never had and shamefully he couldn't come to terms with his loneliness, the end result making him a misfit in the eyes of his peers. Still, comfort came from the expectation of danger, albeit in his case, danger was a product of his existence. This concept alone made him feared to those who witnessed the events occurring on _"That day"_. The Youth of Leaf City having only heard rumors of _"That day"_ lived according to what they've been told which was always "keep your distance". Of course some take it upon themselves to seek the lions den and eventually end up literally eaten alive. Poor saps.

"Let that be a lesson to you."-he jeered derisively, sneering as he stepped over the corpses of the unfortunate souls who dared crossed his path. Those who took notice of his approach desperately struggled to keep hidden. That big white sack which swayed across his back like a ticking metronome, meant certain death.

Of course among the students at Leaf city High School, very few were aware of his existence, which for the sake of peace was a good thing. Enter, Sakura Haruno, a stubborn youth bridled with the insightful tales forever forged within her mind. Sakura's views towards superstition was only the extension of reality and distinguishing it from truth. In reality he was more an urban legend. Sadly, not everyone was as optimistic as she had proved herself to be.

"I heard his eyes turn _red_ when he's mad and his canine teeth grow long like the fangs of a _fox_."

Enter, Kiba Inuzuka, leader of the pack in a retrospective sense of the phrase and often the conveyor of dubious anomalies. In spite of his obviously impromptu fairy tales, Kiba always had the undivided attention of majority of the student body, that factor in which alone awarded him the title of "_leader of the pack"_. Unlike his counterpart Sakura whom he firmly pursued, Kiba's grasp on reality or lack thereof was solely based on what he could comprehend which to his dismay wasn't much. Still, the sheer curiosity is what he considered the thrill of the hunt.

"I saw him with my own eyes," he said, "piercing, penetrating, a nerve wracking appearance. Some say he carries a sack over his shoulder filled with the skulls of his most recent victims."

Squinting his chubby brown eyes, Chouji Akimichi, also known as "fat ass" sprang with disbelief and utter uncertainty at the risk of being shunned. Taking at shot at Kiba if your name was not Sakura meant dismemberment from any hope of being considered cool; luckily for Chouji the cool factor was way off his scale. The companionship of one Shikamaru Nara, who was cool in a more innovative fashion, was all the "cool" he needed. Growing up as a spawn of the Akimichi clan, life regardless of your status was bound to be one disappointment after the other. Chouji can't even remember the last time he kissed a girl, that is, if he had ever done so. His eating habits and physical appearance were often far more than vulgar which repulsed girls, all the same his heart was in the right place.

His partner in crime, Shikamaru, was no better. Daydreaming whenever the time was inconvenient, lazily gazing about at the clouds, a downright boring person, but be that as it may--he couldn't care any less.

Shikamaru had no opinion of anyone and he didn't expect the same for his _"laid back" _demeanor left very little to the imagination, and with a dynamic duo as odd as Chouji and Shikamaru-- who could blame them?

"That's a load of bull," Chouji exclaimed as he randomly picked from a hollow bag of chips, "there's no such thing as a_"Demon Nine tails"_ and if there were how is it you're the only one who saw it and lived to tell the story when you were barely even a one year old if the story 'supposedly' took place fifteen years ago?!"

Kiba responded with a growl, " Hey fat ass! Who said you had the power to choose what's real and what's fake! I saw it plain as day!"

"You still haven't answered my question." Said Chouji.

Shikamaru intervened with a clever response, "Give it a rest you two. What's done is done. Kiba you can't change the past and Chouji you can't change the present. No one can as far as I know-"

"Well today, all that's gonna change!"-He declared, poised in the threshold of the entrance he stood like a mighty lion king. His hair, spiked like the long blades of freshly dewed grass was the color of dawn impeding every face who watched him enter. He slammed his sack onto the floor, proceeding to walk inside the classroom as his long, thick, black jacket bearing the screw-like symbol of the Whirlpool province swayed with each step. Kiba's face nearly fell to the floor, befuddle by what his eyes had shown him though he did not doubt for a second what he saw. The class ignored the irritating screech of chalk pressed against the impoverished black board traced with the residue of past lessons, all focus was on the golden haired stranger mimicking the form of a teenage boy with attitude.

"_Read it. Remember it._ _**Believe it!**" He hollered._

Across the black board, plain as day, written bold in Kanji...the name not heard since_"That day"..._

..._**Naruto Uzumaki.**_

"You heard it," he said pointing straight to the unparalleled faces of irony, "from this point on, I'm gonna make a change around here."

"Who the hell are you?" Blurted Kiba staring with discontent and an instant dislike of the boy with eyes like diamond.

"Read the board dumb ass," the boy clamored, "my name is plain as day, in Kanji!"

"We can't read Kanji," Shikamaru emphasized, " well most of us anyway. Besides, no one writes in Kanji anymore."

"Learn it! And when you do, remember the name. You'll be hearing a lot of it from now on."

And it was true. Only minutes had passed before his name was a worldwide broadcast. Hisses and whispers, all vague but not hard to understand, everyone was talking about Naruto Uzumaki. In the upcoming days his arrival begot absences and tardiness to class. The students of Leaf City high school who have only heard the tales of the sinister past that led to his birth remained wary of their parents warning; as quickly as he had become a celebrity, he was a reject. Despite the social bilk he was all so used to, Naruto embraced his passion--fighting.

Nothing thrilled him more than inflicting pain on others, he believed it released the build of pain he got from each cold, unwanted stare. Having recently gaining knowledge of the fight club run by Neji Hyuuga, Naruto pursued what most lacked, including himself—the assurance of his worth.

Winning wouldn't be easy, this he knew well but Neji Hyuuga, disciple of the founder of Leaf city Taijutsu dojo did not share his passion and his goals. He was an inert person, whose skills may not have been the product of strong goals but pure genius. Naruto entered regardless of not knowing what to expect.

Upon entering the spacial gym-like dojo Naruto's ghostly face begot nasty stares from all corners of the room. Like a true champion he turned the other cheek hoping for the chance to pound their faces once he's joined the club though chances of that happening were thin for one of the sour faces gawking him with contempt belonged to Neji Hyuuga.

"You!" he shouted, Staring Naruto down with those pearly white eyes of death, "you're Uzumaki aren't you?"

"Who wants to know?" Naruto retorted with a cunning snicker.

"So you _are_ Naruto Uzumaki. Go away. You are not welcome here."

Naruto winced, angered with the blatant disrespect he received with just a moment's gaze though he was not intent on giving up easily--it wasn't his style.

"You got a lot of nerve-"

"No, YOU got nerve insulting me. I'm better than any one of these chumps here and I can prove it!"

"Forget it," Neji exclaimed, "If you think I will waste valuable time going against the likes of you, you are mistaken."

Naruto dropped his white bag and grabbed Neji by the collar.

"I'mnot _asking_ you to let me join..."

From that very moment as Neji saw for the very first time flares of determination bursting from those sapphire eyes, he submitted with a doubtful grin, coercing intimidation.

"Every potential member must undergo a preliminary initiation."

"What do you want me to do?"

Grasping onto his wrists Neji nudged the boy backwards threateningly.

" I will fight you one on one. If you can last five minutes without passing out I will consider admission. However if you fail you will never be granted membership for as long as you live."

Only an inch from losing his cool, Naruto brushed himself off, taking in stride Neji's obvious attack on his willpower. Naruto knew better.

"What else have I got to lose?" He stated eagerly.

Noticing Naruto's indifferent expression, Neji wasted no time delivering the first blow. He assaulted Naruto's unsuspecting face violently rapid then passed him on with a powerful kick, vigorously he pressed his palms against Naruto's chest. The beaten boy crashed into a rack of unused barbells barely able to stand on his own. He hadn't a single scratch.

"Persistent are we? The extent of your devotion is admirable, however you will not be able to endure for much longer."

Having stated the obvious, Neji hastily rushed his fist into Naruto's gut, that punch failing as Naruto intercepted with his hand then laying a full force kick into his face. Neji recoiled with a head butt and Naruto followed from Neji's rear with a kick all his own.

Coincidentally, lurking about the roomy gym, conspicuously hiding behind a narrow wall she gazed interest in the face of boy who moved like thunder. To her wandering eyes she noticed him enter the dojo, simply to modest to form words. Since his debut she had noticed him here and there. Unlike most she was enlightened by Kiba's tales of the legend of Naruto Uzumaki. She had always believed he would be eccentric, it was one of the qualities he possessed that attracted her the most, but it was only the manifestation of her expectations that would win her heart.

The Hyuuga boy continuously pushed an onslaught of risky moves upon the ambiguous young fighter with happy eyes flaming with the will to prove himself. This alone reflecting upon his performance, quite surprisingly holding his own however one fatal mistake would cost the boy to lose his balance--being tragically slammed into the wooden compound. The girl in the corner gasped, almost fully aware she had caught his eye which caused him to collapse. She stormed from the room with only seconds to spare before her presence was noticed, swaying behind her those glossy locks of violet.

Neji sneered over Naruto's torso, misjudgingly assured Naruto had seen better days.

"Looks to me like you've had enough."-Neji tauntingly remarked.

Naruto struggled to move.

"Do you know why you lost? It was never intended for you to defeat us in the first place. Had you been wiser, perhaps fate would have thrown you a bone, but you were careless and in the end fate dictates the outcome with me as the victor--"

"Gimme a break!" Naruto exclaimed as he pounced near an equally fatigued Neji.

"I didn't come this far to let anything hold me down. I believe fate is what you make of it. Just like right here, right now I'm gonna kick your all your asses.

_'Where does he get his stamina from'_ was the obvious question running through the minds of the Hyuuga boy. After taking such a barrage of direct punches and kicks he would be lucky to have been able to see straight from then on, but even the boy who believed fate controlled all life began to wonder if true willpower was behind Naruto's on-going persistence. Wisdom dictated, even they knew if they were to carry on their bodies would collapse which was something he could not afford, all for the sake of keeping the monster out.

Luckily, fate would serve miracles as Naruto with his heart in hand fell to the floor only seconds before the time required to qualify for membership.

"It's as I said," Replied Hyuuga to Naruto's instant collapse, "your path has been predestined. You are doomed to live your life a failure. Please leave immediately."

Unusually those words began to sink in. Naruto had been called a failure more times than he could count but this was actually the first time he ever felt like one. He thought by joining the fight club the opportunity would arrive where he'd show the world what he's made of by doing the one thing he loved most and failing is what he knew best; what good does it do to be the best when you fail at what you are best at--this he asked himself a thousand times.

Shortly after coming to, he gathered his things from the locker room and proceeded to the exit. Upon his leave he intercepted the girl from the shadows, coyly poised with her eyes planted to the ground and her hands firmly behind her back. Naruto sent her a suspicious gaze, prompted to ask what she wanted of him, still she stood there motionless--until.

"N-Naruto-kun..."

"...?"

Slowly her face shifted colors, the pressure and tension stocked to enormous heights and without a moment's hesitation she bowed, presenting him with an envelope then stormed out in a hurry.

"That girl?" The inquisitive youth queried. The adolescent Naruto then tore apart the envelope piece by piece, pulling out a pink card with text written in red ink. Naruto then browsed the contents of the note; his face nearly outshone the sun. What resembled a somewhat faint smile, Naruto flopped his sack of belongings over his back and proceeded to the exit--head held high.

_ A struggling warrior making_

_ his way to the top will always look up _

_when the supreme warrior is looking down._

_ The reward is so much more greater._

* * *

**Hi peoples! This is not a one shot but an original story. I will update soon but i just want to see how well this story does on its first few days on . Anyway, enjoy. Oh and Thanks to Shanny-chan for some inspiration and the plot summary. I love you Shanny...in a sisterly way.**


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